Chapter 9

Chapter 9

After turning down Young Master Cui, I spent quite some time in low spirits.

It had always been like this. No matter how solemnly those concubine-born young masters swore their devotion in public, no matter what eternal vows they made, the moment I hinted that they should come to the Nan Mansion to propose marriage, they would quickly change the subject-or even keep as far away from me as possible, terrified I would ruin their reputations.

Seeing that Nan Jinxiu, who was younger than me, had already been betrothed while I was still wasting away at such an age, I shut myself up in the residence all day, never stepping beyond the front gates or even the inner gates. I was too listless to throw handkerchiefs outside anymore.

At the thought of handkerchiefs, Wang Yu suddenly came to mind. I wondered whether he had kept mine after taking it, or thrown it away…

I was sitting beneath the corridor in a daze when Nan Jinxiu, dressed in a brilliant scarlet outfit, came walking toward me along the covered walkway. From her figure to her expression, every part of her radiated smug satisfaction. When she reached me, she suddenly cried out,

“What are you daydreaming about? Missing your Young Master Wang?”

“Pfft-”

I had been holding a cup and drinking water. At her words, all the air went out of me, and I sprayed tea all over the front of my clothes. As I fumbled in a panic, I still had to guiltily deny it.

“Who-who’s missing him?”

It was true that I had been thinking about Wang Yu, but it was clearly not in the way she imagined!

She sat down beside me, her wide skirts spreading out to either side, and even gave me a shove with both hands. “Jinping, since you and Young Master Wang had that night together, why don’t you simply ask him to take you as a concubine?”

I was too lazy to argue with her and only asked in return, “What about you? Have you set your heart on Young Master Chen?”

“Yes.”

At that, she suddenly grew coy, cupping her cheeks in both hands and shaking her head nonstop. “Chen Lang is very good. He treats me with propriety. He’s just a little cold.”

“But he is a gentleman, after all. That’s only normal.”

“If you think he’s good, then he’s good.”

Following her lead, I flattered her a few more times, then planned to leave. Suddenly, I remembered I had not seen Xiao Mei in two days, so I turned back and asked her.

“By the way, where has Xiao Mei gone?”

She paused for a moment, then smiled. “Mother probably sent her off to do more chores again.”

“Oh.”

I did not think much of it and returned to my room, repeatedly pondering how I should bring the matter up with Wang Yu.

Wang Yu had promised me that as long as I lived, he would grant me one wish. I was not worried he would go back on his word. It was just that this wish had to be something that could resolve my predicament for the long term, while also being something he could accomplish with ease.

If, on the other hand, I asked for too much, not only would it fail to make him keep his promise, it would only make him despise me.

The next day.

After tossing and turning all night, I finally decided to go find Wang Yu.